South Sudan’s Information Minister Michael Makuei will head a government delegation at meetings in Ethiopia on Wednesday, the government said.
“The government delegation comprises of myself, energy minister Dhieu Mathok and General Majier Deng,” Minister Makuei said this morning.
He pointed out that the government delegation would travel to Addis Ababa this afternoon. “Cabinet affairs minister Martin Elia and Puot Kang from the SPLM-IO will represent the National Pre-Transitional Committee (NPTC) at the meeting,” Makuei said.
SSOA delegation
Separately, former Western Equatoria state governor Joseph Bangasi Bakasoro said four leading members of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance (SSOA) will attend the meeting on Wednesday.
“We are traveling to Addis Ababa this afternoon. Our delegation comprises of myself, Lam Akol, Gabriel Changson and Denay Chagor,” said Mr. Bakasoro, head of the opposition South Sudan National Movement for Change (SSNMC).
“We hope that we shall do what is needed by our people,” he added.
For its part, the Inter-governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) confirmed in a statement this morning that the meeting will take place Addis Ababa on Wednesday morning.
The regional bloc revealed that the meeting will discuss security arrangements and number of states, pointing out that the parties will make recommendations on the way forward.
In May, South Sudan’s rival leaders extended the formation of the unity government to November to implement key provisions such as creating a unified army and determining the number of states and their boundaries.